Day 1 of Nov jewellery course
The first day in a set of 4 juicy Fridays, sand casting was the request from the group, using hard wax carvings to press into the sand to create the space for molten silver to be poured into, here they are, a couple of chunky rings from Liza, pendant with set cubic zirconia from Averil and ring with three stones float set from Amanda.
Sand cast silver rings made from a ring carved in wax, pressed into sand with molten silver poured into the space, cleaned, polished and oxidisation - controlled darkening - magic!
Stones in place for casting
Silver poured into mold
Sand cast pendant with ‘float cast’ cubic zirconia - the molten silver encircled the stone to hold it in place all in one operation. It’s then cleaned up and polished.
sand casting opened to show ring
ring cleaned and polished
November Jewellery Making
At the start of the day some people arrived with ideas some with no idea, by the end of the day everyone made a piece of jewellery they loved and will treasure as a memory of the day remembering the chatting, sharing and enjoyment.
Silver spoon pendant
Silver ‘signet style’ ring with engraving
Silver stacking rings copper highlights
jade stone ring encircled with brass wire
natural ink creations & inspirations
A recent natural inks and paints day with Karn John _karnjohn was just soooo exciting, we had hands on experience of making paints and inks plus taking some home that had prepped for use letting us add the gun tragacanth to the ink and mulling some paint, yes this is a slow timely process and where ‘mulling’ things over originated adding adding a clove and preservatives to help keep it in a workable state.
Karn was really generous, kind and helpful letting us play with painting materials she had made with different types of paper to explore the differences it made to our paintings.
When I got home I was inspired to go out gathering the last of the local blackberries cooking them up, preserving them for later.
I looked in the larder and there I found finly ground turmeric and macha tea perfect for paint making.
Natural inks and magical substances laid out for for us to play with by Karn, there even some fairy lights!
Bubbling natural inks
1 pot of oak galls and 1 pot of sloe berries bubbling away nearly ready for us to make natural inks from.
Inky doodles using the natural inks and magical powders that react with the inks to create little juicy gems.
My Blog
It all begins with an idea.
Enamelling day with four friends - Enamelling on jewellery infuses vibrant colors and unique textures into metal. A day spent with friends engaging in this craft combines creativity and camaraderie. You can explore techniques like layering enamel and using stencils while sharing laughs. Seeing your creations in brilliant hues adds a memorable touch, making the experience about both jewellery and friendship.
Sara’s June
It all begins with an idea.
Here I combine Preseli Bluestone and ammonites in my jewellery connecting history and nature. Renowned for its ties to Stonehenge, Preseli Bluestone offers a feel of heritage, while ammonites' intricate spirals add fascination, the Egyptians saw them as symbols of protection. These ancient specimens serve as stunning embellishments and tell stories of the earth's ancient past. The contrast of polished metals with ancient Preseli Bluestone and silver ammonites creates striking pieces that resonate with nature lovers, explorers, walkers, stone collectors and paleontologists, reflecting Pembrokeshire's beauty. This combination captures a sense of place and invites wearers to embrace the materials' beauty and their stories.
